How do you food shop without a car?

FairyPrincessk

I think that is a good point thriftwizard. I also suspect that this might be one of those things that gets easier as the kids get older. When they're old enough to have their own small rucksack and carry the lighter items and be more sensible about crossing roads it might even turn into a pleasant family outing.

I had another idea--perhaps there is a divide and conquer approach that might work. Either one adult can take the oldest and youngest (in a pram) to the local shops and gather the items there while the other takes the 2y.o. to the SM (or swap it depending on which children will tolerate the outing best), or they could all do all of the shops together and one adult can stay outside with the pram/children while the other pops in--I imagine half the battle is sometimes managing the pram in small shops. Use the bottom of the pram/handles for shopping and wear rucksacks--the eight year old could have a rucksack for the 'precious' items such as bread and soft fruits to keep it from getting squashed while the adults manage the heavy items.

savingfortomorrow

Before I drove I spent years walking home with bags hanging out of my hands. Once brought a suitcase but a disaster. Small trolly or basket only amounts can be carried home easily. Order online for the bulky items jars, cereals and tins. Fresh veg, milk and bread may be bought daily if needed. I used to do a massive shop nice a month and get a taxi home occasionally but it will be hard to keep a free hand for the kids carrying lots of bags.

ciderwithrosie_2

I've been getting all mine delivered for the last few years. I shop mainly at Tesco because family work there and I get discount, I got a delivery deal of £12 for the year, which is a big saving and its a lot quicker and cheaper than going in person.

The only time I go and do it myself is when I get my 'fresh' groceries for Christmas, I will have already had the heavy stuff like beer and soft drinks delivered. I'd rather choose my own veg and stuff then, rather than risk being told they were out of sprouts etc. I bring it all home by taxi.

When I was a kid my mum and dad would carry a weekly shop home between them, sometimes my dad would take a bike and hang the shopping bags off the handlebars, but it was nowhere near the quantities I buy, and milk was delivered daily.

duchy

I don't really understand your issue TBH
There is no rule to say you must only shop one way or another.
When I was in your situation I would shop on-line either monthly or fortnightly -and the walk to the butchers/bakers etc was a part of getting my son out in the fresh air often with a trip to the park or on our way to or on the return to going somewhere else.

It sounds like your biggest problem might be you don't menu plan ahead of time -if you do it all falls into place.

Muser1

I think I'd take the pram and a rucksack. If I needed to carry very heavy items say once a month I'd use a taxi.

DigForVictory

We've done different things at different places & stages of family life. Student food was a free bus to the supermarket & a wicked rucksack from the bus top to the flat! (The smart cookie had her Rugby playing flat mate on standby and the beer at the bottom if the rucksack...)

With three under 5, it was always simpler for one to shop & four to stay home, but the shopkeepers liked to see the lads so we'd hike the length and drop into shops on the walk back. The pushchair took a lot of weight (& a real perambulator would have held more with less stress.)

As they became a bit more autonomous, rucksacks each!

Now I have to drive for work & so hands free rig in the car, I'll get whatever I'm told en route home. I do also plan heavy runs to Costco - four boxes of Persil save a bundle but take planning to shift...

Ben84

I shop little and often. Some market stalls are only here two days a week, others just one, so I have to make multiple trips each week. Go to make Saturday for the fruit and vegetables, but Thursday for sweets isn't such a big deal if I miss it. Well, I can get fruit and vegetables two other days of the week, but the selection is very small and they sell out fast those days. There's only so much you can make with onions and cabbage. The shops are open most days, but sometimes they're out of items I want and I have to come back later. When you live in a small town and there's no big supermarkets, getting hold of everything you need takes some effort. However, I'm used to it now and just make do without when I can't find something, and I combine shopping with other things to save time.

[Deleted User]

When my children were small back in the 1970s and I was a SAHM my friend and I used to walk from South Norwood into Croydon once a week (usually on Family Allowance day, Tuesdays ) and I would have my youngest DD in her pram, and the other one and my friends DD back to back on the end of the pram.Once we had bought all the shopping most of it went into the 'well' under DD in the pram or underneath on the caged carrying bit I had in those days a big Silver Cross pram that was passed between me, and my then sis-in-law as our children came along I think over the years it had housed 5 children at various stages of babyhood :):)

I suppose the walk into Croydon took the best part of an hour each way.In the winter we would, if the weather was bad walk one way, and use the train back.The kids thought it great to be parked in the guards van :):) along with the parcels and both Mums :):)
Until both my children were older this was how the shopping was bought back then.My OH used the car to get to work and did long hours so shopping wasn't what he needed or wanted to do in his time off(neither did I )Back in those days there was no Sunday shopping where we lived anyway.If there were heavy things to buy then my OH would get them but shopping was totally different and most women shopped if not daily locally then only rarely did they go to a big supermarket as they wern't really available then. I would have loved to be able to shop and have it delivered but it wasn't an option in those days .Now there is only me to shop for so I can buy what I need and stick it into my 'wally trolley ' I am an 'old dear' now so I can get away with it ,My DD bought me a bright shocking pink flowery one a couple of years ago and its fine and big enough for my shopping.But then again I only live five minute from the shops anyway.Once a month I will go and do my 'circuit of shopping' .I drive to Maidstone where I do my Lidls shop, then on to Allington for my Waitrose shop, then down to Sittingbourne where I get my Aldi stuff and then back home.The round trip takes me including the shop about an hour and a half all told but then I only have tiny top-up shops for the rest of the month for fresh fruit and veg.It would be more difficult I guess with three children in tow.I do meal plan and reccommend it to anyone though as it does help no end with shopping
JackieO xxx

pigpen

I'd do the heavy items bought from the supermarkets and delivered and just take a leisurely stroll to local shops as and when you need to.. a daily stroll there and back is good for you!

As it is with 11 to feed.. 5 adults, 1 teen, 2 children and 3 under 5 I do an enormous Tesco shop once a month as finances allow and top up fruit/veg/bread/milk from the local shops.

I can't remember the last time I went to a supermarket! I loathe shopping.

As get a taxi home you may as well order online and get it delivered.. it is way cheaper!! (Tuesdays are £1 delivery @ Tesco)

Mr_Singleton

Ben84 wrote: »

I shop little and often.

Yes, that pretty much sums up my method as well. I go to markets on Saturday with the bike and panniers (2 x Ortlieb backrollers) Also take one pannier during he week for a speciality shop i.e. Neal's Yard for cheese, Monmouth for coffee etc. Am happy to take the bike on a diversion to go shopping after work if needed.

Am looking (as per recent post here) to get an online delivery for the supermarket portion of my shop which tends to be all the heavy bulky stuff i.e Evian, toilet roll, laundry detergent, cleaning stuff etc.